=/\=
When Mezoti returned home from school that day, Arebi called her into their main gathering room and asked her to sit down on the squeaky couch near the family communication console. "Mezoti, our leaders have contacted me and asked if one of my children could help them with a message they're having problems decoding. Three Borg scout ships are in orbit around our planet, and the message is written in Borg Alphanumerics. Azan and Rebi won't be home for quite a while because of their Karfella game. Would you be willing to help?"
"Of course I will, Arebi. Can I gain access to the message on our console?"
"No. They want us to go to the main communications center to view it."
This was a surprise. What did they think the message contained? If the Borg had come to assimilate the Wysanti populace, the message would be unmistakable. It certainly would not have come in the form of Borg alphanumerics.
"When do we leave?" she asked Arebi.
He smiled. "I knew you would say that. We leave immediately."
=/\=
When they arrived at the Planetary Communications Central Complex, Mezoti was introduced to a variety of officials from the Wysanti Defense Agency. They quickly ushered her into a large room with a number of view screens mounted along the perimeter of the room, each bearing a message or image. None of the displays were blank, but none contained an image of a Borg vessel, either. When she'd walked far enough into the room to see what was on the largest screen in the room's center, which reminded her of the viewscreen on Voyager's bridge, she could see two messages displayed, one right next to the other. The message was written in Borg alphanumerics on the left-hand side of the screen. The one on the right was in Wysanti.
Mezoti quickly reviewed both of them. The Borg message was a little confusing, since some of the vocabulary was unlike anything she'd seen before, but she quickly grasped what it was trying to say. "The person who decrypted this message translated it accurately, except for the term 'medical assistance.' A better translation would be 'surgical procedures.'" She hesitated before continuing, "You did notice that the drones who sent you this message say they are individuals, members of the Borg Resistance Movement, didn't you? Captain Janeway set them free from the Borg Queen's control one Wysanti year ago. They're not connected to the Queen anymore. That seems to have affected their health. Their implants are failing, and their nanoprobes no longer heal efficiently. They believe surgical procedures are necessary to remove implants which are damaging them."
Mezoti turned to her foster father. "Nanoprobes are very efficient at healing injuries and illnesses of drones. However, when the five of us first came on Voyager, the Doctor removed any implants which were not working properly. He said he also had to do this to save Seven's life when she was disconnected from the Collective. This may be what's happening to these drones, too."
Deveron Marin, the Defensive leader, asked her, "We don't have access to the knowledge your Voyager Doctor possessed. How can our medical personnel assist these drones? "
"Actually, I believe you do. When we came to live here, the Doctor provided my foster parents with information about how to treat maladies of former Borg. One of our physicians removed a part from my cortical node that was no longer functioning properly. Arebi, if you allow our physicians to share the Doctor's instructions with other Wysanti physicians, I'm sure they'll be able to treat these drones."
"We can do that, of course. But Mezoti, while your translation of this message may be correct, how do we know if the message was truthful?" Arebi asked.
"Why don't we contact them directly? They must have the ability to transfer their images here. I suspect the only reason they have not is that they don't want to seem to be threatening the Wysanti."
The leaders huddled for a few minutes, discussing Mezoti's suggestion. She thought this was ridiculous. Viewing the drones who sent this message wouldn't present a threat to Wysanti. Mezoti was surprised they hadn't sent a visual message right from the beginning. When she thought about it for a few minutes, however, she wondered if they'd approached any other planets before, but had been turned away. That would explain why they sent their message in script form, rather than through direct visual contact.
When the huddle broke up, Deveron Marin asked Mezoti to compose a message for his communications officer to send to the Borg sphere making the initial contact with Wysanti, asking them to open visual communications. Seconds after the message was sent, three figures appeared on the main screen.
Mezoti was dismayed by what she saw. From the murmured comments and the gasps from the people around her, she wasn't the only one. The Borg on screen looked nothing like the beings who struck fear to individuals throughout the Delta Quadrant. Oozing sores surrounded the implants on their faces and the visible parts of their bodies. Some implants seemed to have been torn out the drones' flesh, leaving holes in the skin which were barely scabbed over. Mezoti was certain these wounds had become painfully infected. The drones' nanoprobes clearly were not working in the way they usually did to heal these injuries.
Devoron Marin initiated vocal contact. "Borg vessels, you are directed to send two of your drones to a facility on our southernmost continent for evaluation. We are projecting a map to you to direct you to the proper location. How many . . . individuals from your three vessels require treatment?"
The drone in the center replied, :::Fifty-one.:::
Mezoti was shocked, but she was pleased when Marin said, "Send the two who are the most critically ill down to the hospital we identified. As soon as we know what we must deal with, we can alert other facilities to expect you. We can prepare them so all those needing our assistance can be accommodated as soon as possible."
Mezoti was startled when the drone in the center said, ::: Wysanti Leader Marin, we have been searching for many time units for a people which will provide this assistance. We thank you very much for being willing to help us.:::
When the transmission ended, Mezoti turned to her foster father. "You may be certain they are not lying to us, Arebi. No drone connected to the Collective would ever offer thanks to anyone - even each other."
=/\=
Several days later, all three scout ships had landed on Wysanti, and their sick and injured had been transported to one of several medical facilities designated to provide them treatment. Several other drones from each scout ship were functioning well enough not to need immediate hospitalization, but all were examined and found to need some level of care on an outpatient basis. All of them had implants which were beginning to fail. Based upon the data Voyager's EMH had provided Arebi and Mazani for the treatment of Mezoti and the twins, the doctors were able to perform the procedures he'd recommended.
When Deveron Marin contacted Mezoti and her family to thank her for her assistance, he explained, :::Even the so-called 'healthy' former drones are suffering a great deal of pain. I never thought I would feel so sorry for Borg drones.:::
"I don't know if they're really Borg now, any more than Azan, Rebi, and I are, Defensive Leader. I'm not sure what you should call us, either."
:::I think people will do for now. Thank you again for your help, Mezoti. The Wysanti are very lucky you were here to help us, or we might have decided to turn these unfortunate people away, too, as other planetary governments did.:::
After the message from Deveron Marin terminated, Mezoti asked her foster parents for permission to visit some of the former drones in the hospital. At first Arebi and Mazani were somewhat reluctant. "What if you contract one of these infections from them?" Mazani asked.
"Contact medical staff. Find out if I could be in danger. From what I saw on the viewscreen, their injuries began when they removed their failing implants improperly. That's why their infections began and eventually became so serious."
Mazani did as Mezoti had asked. The head doctor from a facility nearby did not believe the four former drones in his hospital would pose any danger to anyone who wished to visit them. Mezoti's hypothesis about how the infections originated was consistent with the reports the former drones had given to his staff.
Mazani and Arebi agreed to give their consent, but only if one of the foster parents went along with her. "You're too young to face such a sight by yourself."
Mezoti had never told her foster parents about the alien freighter captain on their cube, who had been so brutally murdered by First, Icheb, and herself when they'd tried to assimilate him. That was a terrible experience Mezoti would never forget. She wouldn't burden them with this knowledge, but it convinced her that she would be able to endure anything she might see during a visit to the injured former Borg.
The next day, Mezoti and Arebi visited the Sajar Medical Complex. Rather than Borg designations, the former drones receiving treatment identified themselves by the names they'd borne before they were assimilated: Tc'ikan, SEvuAla, Meruk'an, and Veria Sala. Although their scout ship was a very small one, Tc'ikan and Veria Sala had both carried the Unimatrix Zero mutation. They'd visited the virtual reality sanctuary until the Borg Queen destroyed it. "They were able to take over our scout ship by breaking the communication link with the Collective. That freed the rest of us from the Queen's control," Meruk'an explained.
"It has been very difficult," Veria Sala stated. "We met up with the other scout vessels in our group, and at first, our bodies adapted well to the loss of the communication link. We don't know how or why, but suddenly, our ship mechanisms began to work inefficiently. Our implants began to fail, bringing us a great deal of pain. Our medical drone tried to remove them, but our nanoprobes no longer healed us after he was done. We became as you see us now."
Arebi had allowed Mezoti to take the lead in conversing with the four, not out of fear - they were much too ill to pose any threat - but because Mezoti was very comfortable approaching them. However, upon careful consideration of what Veria Sala had described, he asked them, "Did you notice anything that was . . . unusual . . . during your travels?"
"Do you mean the debris fields?" Tc'ikan asked.
"Yes," Arebi quickly answered. If he'd thought he could avoid his foster daughter's curiosity, however, he was mistaken.
"What debris fields?" Mezoti asked.
Her foster father turned to her and explained, "We didn't want to upset you, Mezoti, but trading vessels have reported finding drifting fields of fragments. They all appear to be the remains of exploded Borg vessels."
"Yes, mainly from very large cubes and spheres," Tc'ickan confirmed. "All but one of the ones we discovered appeared to have been destroyed at the same time, 57.4 time units ago."
Mezoti made a quick calculation. "That would be a little less than three Federation Standard months ago," she said softly.
"Do you tell time the way the Captain Janeway does?" SEvuAla inquired.
"I do, but I keep it by Wysanti time, too. I lived on Voyager with Captain Janeway until I came here one Wysanti year ago. By Federation time, that would be a few months more than a standard year."
"Were you on Voyager when the Queen destroyed Unimatrix Zero?" SEvuAla asked.
"Yes, I was."
"We determined that one of the Borg debris field we found was destroyed at that time. Our ship's leader Avery, who was Four of Seven before our link to the Collective was broken, told us the Queen destroyed some cubes when she detected only one drone was no longer linked to her. It was fortunate for us that we were able to break free before she could do that to our scout ship. That field is very near to your planet," Tc'ikan said. "If your leaders have not personally examined one, we can give you the coordinates."
"I'll ask our Defense Leader Marin if he wishes to send out a ship to explore it," Arebi said. "He may be reluctant. We've heard the Borg often return to their destroyed vessels to retrieve components. Do you know if the Borg Resistance is still fighting vessels which the Queen controls?"
"Not for some time. The last reports of fighting ended at the same time most of the debris fields were created. We haven't met with any intact Hive vessels to resist against since then." Tc'ikan added, "We need to become healthy and whole again so we have the strength to fight them when we do. That's why we decided to risk approaching planets to ask for help. We've been in contact with other Resistance ships which also require medical assistance. Do you think your leadership will permit them to come here, too?"
"Now that we've seen the state you're in, that may be possible," Arebi cautiously replied. "Perhaps not too many at once, though!"
"We understand your fears," SEvuAla responded, very seriously. If she recognized Arebi was trying to be humorous, there was no sign of it from the way she spoke. "We remember assimilation. It is a terrible thing. Mezoti, we honor your bravery, coming here to speak with us. It can't have been easy."
She thought about how she could answer this for a moment before saying, "It hasn't been easy, but I owe it to you to help you. I know what assimilation is like. It's good I was here when you needed my help."
As Mezoti and Arebi were leaving the hospital, after saying good-bye to the former Borg they'd visited, Arebi said, "I know you regretted your choice to stay with us when Voyager continued on its journey. Do you still feel that way?"
"I miss Seven and Icheb very much. I always will. If I ever have the chance to see them and live with them again, I'd like to; but Arebi, I'm glad I stayed now because I was able to assist these people. They deserve our help."
"They do indeed. I'm glad you were here, too."
=/\=
Although Azan and Rebi had been reluctant, Mezoti convinced them to come with her and Arebi to see the drones recuperating at Sajar Medical Complex. After that initial visit, they accompanied them on several other occasions without any prodding from Mezoti. Rebi admitted to Mezoti later that although they hadn't expected it, the twins felt a kinship with other beings who had been stolen from their homes by the Borg.
When the scout ship on which the four resided touched down on the complex's rounds, the twins were eager to visit it. This, quite understandably, made Mazani and Arebi somewhat nervous, but Avery, the leader of the scout ship, assured the grandparents she had no desire to kidnap them. "I will only take them for a short tour." It turned out to last longer than Avery had expected. After she identified several mechanisms on her ship which were beginning to fail. Azan and Rebi recognized what was going wrong because the same things had happened to equipment on their Children's Collective cube. They recruited Mezoti, and the three suggested ways to make repairs using substitute parts available on Wysanti.
On the day Tc'ikan, SEvuAla, Meruk'an and Veria Sala received very good news, Mezoti, Arebi, and the twins were at the hospital. Their news made Mezoti more than a little sad. All four were to be released from the hospital and would return to their ship on the following day. None of the other vessels belonging to the Resistance which had come to Wysanti had been directed to Sajar. When she left the complex that afternoon, Mezoti didn't think she'd encounter former Borg ever again.
Mezoti was mistaken. A few days later, the entire family was invited to a reception at the planetary capital. :::One of the leaders of the Borg Resistance Movement has landed and wishes to thank your family in particular for your assistance to his people during this crisis::: Defense Leader Marin's aide explained in the invitation. Although Mazani was still nervous about contact with any of the people who had killed her daughter and stolen her grandchildren, she finally agreed to go.
When the family arrived at the center where the reception was being held, they were happy to see Avery, SEvuAla and Veria Sala were among those present. As they waited for the event to begin, Tc'ikan also joined them. Most of the former Borg who were treated on Wysanti had recovered. In the end, only four succumbed to their ailments. Avery told them, "All of us are very grateful for the care we received here. You saved the lives of so many of us. What may be even more important, the information you passed on to us from Voyager's Doctor will enable us to provide care to anyone who becomes ill in the future. We came today to thank you."
Tc'ikan added, "Several more ships have arrived. All of them are also with the Borg Resistance. Most of those drones have been treated for their illnesses. We're planning to form a group to work on repairing all our vessels. Once that task is completed, our forces will move off to search for more of us. If we do encounter any ships still connected to the Hive, we'll try to free them, too." He stopped his explanation then, and pointed out a very tall figure striding in their direction. "Ah, look there! Our general is approaching!"
When Mezoti turned to look where he was pointing, she was delighted to see who it was. "It's Captain Korok!" she called out.
"Little Mezoti! Azan! Rebi! It's wonderful to see you again. I'm surprised to find you here, although I thought the Mezoti I'd met on Voyager must be the same one helping my people here on Wysanti. It would be too much of a coincidence that there should be two individuals named Mezoti who had been freed from the Collective."
The presence of the three Borg children on Wysanti was quickly explained, and Captain Korok was introduced to the grandparents. Neither had ever met a Klingon before, and they were a little stunned by the hearty nature of this former Borg, who displayed none of the reticence they'd become used to from their grandsons and Mezoti.
When the group broke up into smaller conversational groups, Mezoti moved closer to the Resistance leader. At a reduced volume, she asked him, "Korok, I spoke with Deveron Marin several days ago. We didn't know what to call the drones who are separated from the Collective. Do we still call ourselves Borg?"
"We will always be Borg, little Mezoti," he replied, "even after we've been separated from the Queen's control for many years - even if every implant should be removed from our bodies! Never be ashamed of your history. We shared an experience that will never leave us, although we are now free to choose our own path. We're no longer are duped into believing we live by consensus."
"I'm not ashamed of what I am, Korok. Although I prefer individuality, I know I will always be an individual who has lived as Borg. Thank you for answering my question. I am still Borg." As she smiled up at him, she could not hold back her feelings. "Oh, I can't tell you how good it is for me to see you, Korok!"
"Where are Seven and Icheb?"
"They're still on Voyager. I agreed to live on this planet when Azan and Rebi were found to be of the Wysanti people. Their grandparents asked me to live with them, and I agreed."
She looked up at Arebi, who had stepped near the two. He'd picked up the thread of her thought. "I'm afraid she's sorry she didn't stay on Voyager most . . . maybe all of the time." He looked worried when he added, "I hope you won't take her away from us. I know she would like to be with Seven and Icheb again, but from what you say about the Borg Resistance, it sounds so dangerous for a young girl . . ."
Mezoti was surprised to hear Arebi speak like this. Was he afraid Korok would take her with him to Voyager?
Korok must have understood the source of Arebi's worry. "It would be difficult to find Voyager if the ship is still traveling towards their Alpha Quadrant," he said, in as gentle a tone as a Klingon could muster. "You understand, my first responsibility is to the Borg Resistance. I must organize our ships so we can locate more of us. This can't be all who are left! I assure you, we will not assimilate anyone, but we need to protect ourselves. When we do encounter anyone still connected to the Queen, we must be able to continue the fight until all drones are free to live their lives as they choose, and not as the Queen's puppets!"
Turning back to Mezoti, he continued, "However, if I should ever again make contact with the most courageous Captain Janeway and her crew, I will tell them I saw you, Mezoti. I will also let Seven and young Icheb know you are well, but that you would like to live with them again. Is that not so?" While this last had been addressed to Mezoti, Korok looked to Arebi for an answer.
Arebi nodded slightly and said, a little sadly, "Yes, Captain Korok, it is. It's only the truth. But I'm glad to hear you have no designs against the Wysanti!"
"Never again, Arebi. Not one drone of the Borg Resistance wishes to steal the life of another being. We have seen millions, perhaps trillions of people, and thousands of planets that have been destroyed by the Hive. It must end."
=/\=
A few days later, Mezoti said, "Arebi? I'd like to prepare a recorded message to send to Neelix the next time Masseni comes, so he can forward it to Voyager after Masseni delivers it to him. Is that permissible?"
"Of course. Have you drafted your message? I know you like to do that."
"Yes, I wrote it all out on this device. I don't think I'll have to refer to it, but I will keep it by me. I don't want to forget to say anything I want to say to Neelix, and to Voyager."
"I can set things up for you. Then I'll leave you to allow you some have privacy while you record it."
"Thank you, Arebi, but I don't mind if you hear it. Mazani can come in to hear it, too."
He raised his brows in surprise, but he complied with her request. After Arebi called in his wife, Mezoti began to recite her message to Neelix. By the time Mezoti had finished what she had to convey, Mazani was quietly weeping.
Mezoti went to her and put her arms around her. "I'm sorry, Mazani. You've done everything right. It's not your fault I haven't adjusted. It's mine. When I visited with the former Borg at the hospitals here, I realized I preferred their company to that of my contemporaries at school. I don't think I'll ever really fit in here. I wish I could be the daughter you wanted when you invited me to stay with you. I don't think I can."
Arebi was the one to put it into words: "Mazani and I have spoken about this many times when you weren't around to 'overhear' us. Making a home for you has been a privilege, but you're right. You were meant to live your life in space. Forgive us if we're not disappointed the Borg never assimilated us, so we were here to form a family when you needed one!"
Mezoti looked up into Arebi's face and smiled. "It's just as Korok said to us. I would never want anyone ever to be assimilated. Losing individuality is a terrible, painful fate."
Her foster mother was finally able speak. "We see how it is with our grandsons. We love them, but all they really need is each other. We love you, too, but we know you're the child of Seven and sister of Icheb. All children grow up and make their own lives. We will return you to your true family if they ever come for you. Since that's not possible now, we're here for you, for as long as you need us."
As Mezoti hugged her foster parents, and they hugged her in turn, Mezoti felt better. Arebi had known for a long time how she really felt. Now she knew Mazani had known it for some time, too. It's better for it to be in the open. They were family in the same way everyone on Voyager was family - but that isn't the same kind as Naomi and her mother Samantha are family, or even how Aimee and Marla Gilmore are. Mezoti now understood the difference. That was what she'd had with Seven and Icheb, and she'd let it slip away. If that mistake could ever be rectified, Mezoti would do it. It was a relief to know that Mazani and Arebi would not try to stop her, if it ever should happen.
=/\=